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How to Resubmit Your Resume

The job seeking game is never a simple one. Fate and employers have such a twisted sense of humour that you may find yourself wanting or needing to apply to a company to which you have applied before. I’m certain that there isn’t a single person amongst us who would willingly resubmit their resume to a company that didn’t want them the first time round, but you should never let your pride and ego be parts of the equation when you are looking for a job.

There are lots of reasons why you’d resubmit your resume to the same company, maybe it’s because it’s a great company and you want to work there, maybe it’s because they’re leading in the industry you want to pursue a career in or maybe they just offer awesome employee benefits. Whichever the reason, it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t let anything stop you from resubmitting your resume. The worst that could happen is that they don’t hire you, but hey at least you tried, right?

1. Apply With a Slightly Altered Resume

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It’s important to not submit the exact same resume because this will show that you are static and that you’ve been unemployed for quite some time which may mean that you won’t be a desirable candidate. The key to resubmitting your resume is to alter it even slightly just to show that you now have more things to offer. For example, if you had another job in the meanwhile add that on your resume, or if you’ve worked towards a qualification include that as well. If none of these things apply to you consider adding transferable skills that would be useful for the position you are applying for or consider starting an online course that can be added to your qualifications.

2. Don’t Reapply Straight Away

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I know, it seems fairly obvious but don’t reapply to the same company straight away, if they rejected you once they’re not going to accept you the second time round even if you are applying for a different position. Wait a few months (six is ideal) and then reapply because this will make your new skills or qualifications seem noteworthy.

3. Mention Your Previous Application If They Ask

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One of the most stressful parts of this process will be the fact that you won’t know whether they remember that you applied before. The reality is that hiring managers receive so many resumes for each position that there’s a fat chance they’ll remember you even if you went for an interview. But that’s not to say that they definitely won’t remember. In fact, if they use gmail or something similar there’s a good chance that they won’t have deleted your previous email, making your new email pop right into that conversation.

However, there’s not much point of addressing the issue immediately. Address your recent experience and qualifications in your cover letter in order to highlight the fact that there are some differences in your resume and wait for them to mention it first. Be honest with them when they ask and emphasize why you’d be a good fit this time round.

Resubmitting your resume is really not all that uncommon and if dealt with properly it won’t necessarily cost you the job. Just remember not to deal with the fact that you were rejected the first time round and to emphasize your best attributes.